Is LASIK or Epi-LASIK recommended for high myopia?

Doctor's Answers 2

With high myopia, we must first ascertain if you have sufficient corneal thickness for you to safely undergo laser vision correction. The higher the myopia, the more corneal tissue needs to be removed. Hence, having sufficiently thick corneas is an important consideration. A comprehensive pre-laser evaluation would be able to give your surgeon details about your eyes including the shape of your eyes, the stability of your refraction, etc. From there, your surgeon will be able to recommend the most appropriate procedure for your eyes. In my practice, I generally do not recommend epi-LASIK should your myopia exceed -8.00 as there is a higher possibility of seeing haze and regression after surgery.

Photo of Dr E-Shawn Goh
Dr E-Shawn Goh

Ophthalmologist

Both Lasik and epi-Lasik are great options for visual rehabilitation in high myopes. Most people perform Lasik if they are suitable for it, as the visual recovery is much faster, and the time to stable refraction is much faster in comparison.

However not all patients who are high myopes are suitable for Lasik. The main consideration is that of the corneal thickness. If the residual corneal thickness after Lasik is insufficient for stable corneal refraction in the long term, then Epi-Lasik is an alternative that patients consider. Do speak to your ophthalmologist who may be best positioned to advise you on what your options are.

Similar Questions

Will the outcomes of LASIK be worse if I have high myopia?

For high myopia close to 1000 degrees, the option of which refrative surgery technique to choose depends on a few factors: 1) How thick is the cornea Thick corneas with regular features may be worth a shot with LASIK (or LASIK EXTRA or SMILE for more stability of power in the long run). However, as the cornea will be made thinner with all of these laser-based procedures, you may not have adequate tissue thickness left for future enhancement should there be regression of myopia, which can still happen even if LASIK EXTRA or SMILE was chosen.

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Answered By

Dr Daphne Han

Ophthalmologist

Is Epi-LASIK or LASIK better if I have a history of corneal abrasion due to contact lens wear?

This is an excellent question. It seems like you may be suffering from a known complication following trauma to the eye, specifically the window of the eye known as the cornea. Occasionally, the surface of the cornea may become fragile and prone to spontaneous abrasion or the medical term used is recurrent corneal erosion. In this particular situation, advanced surface ablation may help to stabilise the cornea to prevent further spontaneous abrasion. Strictly speaking, the term used for treatment in this situation is called photo-therapeutic keratectomy (PTK).

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